Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1887-02-01
The Mexican Veterans.

Some of the veterans of the war
with Mexico are residents of this Sec
ton of Virginia. The regiment to
which they belonged was the 1st Vir-
ginia, commanded by Col. j. E. Ham
tranck, of Shepherdstown, Jefferson
codnty. In this regiment was com
pany raised in Charlestown and the
lower Valley of Virginia. This COM
Pany was commanded by Captain
Rowan, father of Mrs. William Stump,
of this place. Our friend, VIM. N.
Nelson, of Clarke county, and for
time the genial editor of the Berry
vile Courier, was lieutenant, as was
also another old friend, John Avis, of
Charlestown, once resident of Win
chester. All three of these gentle
men, upon the breaking out of the
late war between the States, promptly
came forward and rendered their
swords to their old mother Virginia,
and did good service in her cause.
Capt. Rowan and Capt. Nelson COM
manded companies in the I'd Virginia
Regiment, Stonewall Brigade, and
Capt. Avis, who was every inch sol-
dier and n man, Commanded the Nor
gan Continental Guards, 18th Regi-
ment, Stonewall Brigade, for the first
year of the war, being succeeded by
Capt. Geo. w. Kurtz, ably seconded
by Lieut.. John r. Mesmer as his
subaltcrn. Captains Avis and Rowan
are dead, but Capt. Nelson yet STIR
wives and resides in Clarke county,
as gallant gentleman as ever wore
sword on his thigh or shouldercd
his crutch and showed how fields were
won." BY the way the captain does
not have to shoulder a crutct. Heis
or was when we last had the pleas
urc to greet him-hale and hearty,
straight as an arrow, gray but good
looking, with the martial bearing of
an old veteran.
Wecan remember well, though then
4 small boy, the return of the MeXi-
can veterans to Winchester after the
war. The local military company pa
radcd TO receive them, and the only
piece of ordnancc-an Old iron can
non-that Winchester ever possessed,
was placed in battery on an eminence
near the Winchester & Potomac de-
pot and Numbered fourth saivo after
saliva as the train approached. When
the Veterans disembarked from the
cars, the military company formed an
escort of honor, and amid the music
of Haincs' Brass Band, with Jonathan
blowing the snake horn upon which
the small boy of that period looked
with much awe, and Tate Haney ma
nipulating the deep-sounding bass
drum, the veterans were marched to
their respective homes amidst the
hearty plaudits of the crowd. We
remember that the great centre of at
traction were two Mexican lads that
had been brought homo by the return
ing volunteers named respectively
Marccllus Del Gar and Francisco
The latter of whom aftcrward learned
the trade of cabinet-makcr with Mr..
James Milton. MarcelluS, we believe,
finally returned to his native heath.
Oh! we thought the Mexican vol
unteers were heroes then, and they
were. Winchester Ne,cs.
With us, like the editors of the
Neors, the return of the MeNican vet
Grams is among the most vivid rccol-
lections of our early hoyhood days.
Marcellus was fine-looking, stylish
young man, and learned the shoe
making trade with the father of Capt.
Avis. He afterwards, as stated
above, returned to Mexico. Tardy
justice has at last been grudgingly
done these deserving Veterans, of
whom there were few years ago
quite number hcreabouts. Now
their ranks have become thinncd I'M
til we can call to mind but a single
half dozen persons In this locality
who will become beneficiarics under
the act. These are Col. George a.
Portcrficld, (who was Adjutant of
the Virginia regiment,) Mr.. John w.
Gallahcr, (Licutcnant under Capt.
Rowan,) Mr.. Joseph Heller, and the
widows of Capt. Avis, David Heck
and John Sheetz. We also learn that
DR.. George Terrili. of this vicinity,
former Surgeon of the L. S. navy,
served in that capacity in the Mcxi-
can war, and will come under this act.
John f. Hamtramck was Colonel,
Thomas Beverly Randolph the Lieu
tcnant-CoiOncl, Jubal A. Early the
Major. and Geo. A. Portcrfeld the
Adjutant, of the Virginia regiment in
the Mexican war.